International Criticism for U.S. Immigration Detention Centers

A key international human rights organization is reporting that U.S. immigration detention centers are woefully inadequate with detainees receiving unjust treatment, poor health care and minimal access to legal aid.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, which is part of the influential Organization of American States (OAS), has issued a report not only criticizing immigration detention facilities, it is also critical of local municipalities immigration law enforcement practices.

The commission feels people are being singled out by race or the pretense of a crime investigation whereby they are arrested for immigration violations. Though many of the criticisms of the U.S. immigration detention system is not new it is the first time a highly respected international member organization levels those criticisms. The U.S. is a member of OAS.

A scathing criticism was leveled at the detention center’s prison-like atmosphere when indeed they are only detention centers. The commission said it was “deeply troubled by the continual and widespread use of detention in immigration cases.”